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Washington, D.C. - Rep. John B. Larson (CT-01) released the following statement after SpaceX successfully launched the largest rocket since the Saturn V rockets used during the Apollo missions to the moon, the Falcon Heavy Rocket.

"Congratulations to Elon Musk and his whole team at SpaceX for their successful launch of the Falcon Heavy rocket. Musk and his team's bold ideas and innovation are what the nation needs when looking forward at all innovative forms of transportation, whether it be space travel, electric vehicles, a hyperloop, or tunnels. Brian Williams rather poignantly pointed out last night on his show, that our jet planes fly at the same speed as they did when Eisenhower was President and many of these recent train accidents could be preventable with technology. The United States' infrastructure received a D+ rating from the American Society of Civil Engineers.

“Soon people will be traveling to South Korea for the Olympics, where they will see what modern airports and infrastructure could look like. We are long overdue for an investment in our infrastructure. We need to set the same goals as President Kennedy did when he said we will get a man to the moon in 10 years, and we did it in nine. As the country moves forward, we need to consult with companies like SpaceX and with innovators like Elon Musk to ensure that we are at the forefront of technology. Elon Musk needs to be recognized for paving the way for this type of investment. It wasn’t lost on many that he is an immigrant to this country," said Larson.